You are here

Articles Search

SUVA, Fiji Islands (Fiji’s Daily Post – January 1, 2001)---An army officer who led the attempted mutiny at the Fiji Military Headquarters in Nabua on November 2 last year has written a letter from prison seeking forgiveness.

The letter, dated November 30, was written by Captain Shane Stevens and addressed to the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. It was also copied to the President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, the Great Council Chiefs and church leaders.

Capt. Stevens, who was in charge of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit after May 19, shocked military personnel when he led the mutiny on that fateful Friday. Eight soldiers were killed in the ensuing gun battle between those loyal to the commander and selected members of the CRW unit. Many more were seriously wounded. Commodore Bainimarama, who was having lunch at that time, was escorted to safety through the bushes behind the military camp.

SUVA, Fiji Islands (January 1, 2001 – Fiji’s Daily Post)---Just when Fiji was recovering from the two military coups of 1987, the country was struck with another major political disaster, one of the worst ones ever in the South Pacific and which had led to the nation’s suspension from the Commonwealth.

A democratically elected government, headed by the first ethnic Indian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry, was overthrown by failed businessman George Speight and his group on May 19,2000.

The group claimed that what they did was in the name of the indigenous rights but whether it was really for that cause, we may be able to know only once, if ever, the probe into the coup gets completed.

When the Chaudhry government was overthrown, the 1997 Constitution also went out the window and together with it went democracy, making way for lawlessness and suffering which most citizens, including the indigenous population, experienced and continue to experience.

APIA, Samoa (December 31, 2000 - Samoa Observer/PINA Nius Online)---Rumors that there is an outbreak of the typhoid fever in Samoa have been denied by the heads of Apia's two hospitals.

The Head of Medcen Hospital, Dr. Emosi Puni, was asked for comment after unconfirmed reports that several people contracted the disease. Dr. Puni said that Medcen had diagnosed people with flu, but he dismissed speculation about an outbreak of typhoid fever.

"We’ve been busy over the weekend with patients who have normal fever relating to the influenza but as far as typhoid fever is concerned we have not had any cases like that," Dr. Puni explained. Because of the wet season, Dr. Puni said it was not unusual for people to be diagnosed with flu.

Dr. Viali Lameko, of Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital, also denied a typhoid fever outbreak. He said Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital has been kept busy with children diagnosed with fever, but none of them had...

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (December 28, 2000 – Radio Australia)---The Asian Development Bank will loan the Solomon Islands almost 20 million Australian dollars (US$ 11,198,000) to help rebuild the country’s infrastructure after 18 months of ethnic conflict between the Guadalcanal Isatabu Freedom Fighters and the Malaita Eagle Force.

A peace agreement now is in effect.

Called the Post-Conflict Emergency Rehabilitation Project, the loan is to used for rebuilding or restoring government offices, roads, bridges, the water supply and sanitation works, as well as schools and health facilities.

The bank said that damage on the main island of Guadalcanal and nearby provinces, estimated at up to 70 million Australian dollars (US$ 39,193,000), has placed a severe strain on government services.

The Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Finance will be the executing agency for the project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2003.

The Department of Public Health and Social Services announced the ban yesterday. Unprocessed fish and agricultural and fish products that have been individually processed may not be imported from the Marshalls, the department said.

The ban stems from a cholera outbreak on Ebeye, an island in Kwajalein atoll with about 10,000 residents. Health officials from the Marshalls have said that more than 100 people have been hospitalized with cholera since December 18.

Five people have died from the diarrheal disease, which often is spread through contaminated water or food. The bacterial disease causes diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, which may be fatal if it is not treated quickly.

Radio Fiji reported that payments to all former Member of Parliament – deposed as a result of the May 19 coup -- were stopped at the end of last month, in line with a deal struck with a number of parliamentarians.

However, some MPs, including members of Mr. Chaudhry’s cabinet, refused to sign the agreement, and have demanded continued pay as the legal government.

The Public Service Commission also has ordered former ministers out of government quarters they continue to occupy.

But a number of them, including Mr. Chaudhry’s deputy Dr. Tupeni Baba, have refused to move.

The House of Representatives accepted the Senate's amendments to the bill, which proposes to encourage new and old investors developing "desirable facilities or activities" in the Northern Marianas.

The House's original version only covered businesses in the hospitality sector. The Senate expanded its coverage to include businesses already in the commonwealth as well as new investors engaged in the software industry.

If enacted into law, several new investors, who according to the House have been waiting in line to see the legislation passed, can finally come in to begin doing business. The investors include two hotel companies, a software firm and a peanut butter manufacturer.

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Dec. 1, 2000 – Marshall Islands Journal)---Private elementary and high schools are saving the RMI government nearly $4 million in annual education costs, according to a recently released Ministry of Education report.

Last year, private schools enrolled about 30 percent of the RMI’s total elementary and high school population, an increase of five percent since 1988.

Multiplying the average per student spending level of the Ministry of Education by the number of students in private school (2,976 elementary and 1,390high school) shows that the cost savings to the RMI government is $3,975,902, the report said.

The report noted that the Ministry of Education provides slightly over $300,000 in funding support to private schools last year.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (December 29, 2000 - Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---A hike in copra prices has been approved by the Copra Marketing Board. The increase results from positive signs on the world market.

A 16 percent increase will take effect on January 1. The new hot-air price will be K 311 (US$ 103.25) a ton, K 52 (US$ 17.26) more than the current price of K 259 (US$ 85.99) in the main copra depots around the country.

Board commercial services manager Michael Warapik said: "If the current trend continues, we foresee an improvement in February and the following months.

"It’s been tough because for too long. The prices had been against the CMB and the producers . . . but one of our remedial actions includes securing price support from a commercial bank as per approval from the National Executive Council."

He said the board was working to get a commercial loan of about K 5 million (US$ 1,660,000) from one of the commercial banks to further...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.